


All is Calm, All is Bright

by theamberissubtle



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: Christmas, Diana is whipped, Established Relationship, F/F, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-11
Updated: 2018-12-11
Packaged: 2019-09-16 11:09:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16952880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theamberissubtle/pseuds/theamberissubtle
Summary: Diana didn’t care much for Christmas but she still found herself wearing a matching jumper.Or Diana gives Akko a Christmas she’ll never forget.





	All is Calm, All is Bright

Lights from the tall, slightly wonky Christmas tree cast their surroundings in an ethereal glow, highlighting the two figures standing in the centre of their small living room as they took in the sight.  
  
Akko was sporting a maroon Christmas jumper that was equal parts garish and fashionable, and Diana, at much prodding, had adopted a matching one but in blue, to match her eyes.  
  
“It’s our fifth Christmas together,” Akko had told her two days ago, holding up the offending items in the store and harrumphing at Diana’s reluctant expression and crossed arms. “I want to match. You’ve gotten away with it the last few years because, well, I don’t really know why, but not this time!” She squinted through her memories. “Why _did_ I let this happen for so long... Ah, yeah! There was us at fifteen, accidentally drinking the alcoholic eggnog instead of the other one and Finneran losing her mind. Do you remember that? Everyone was trapped in the castle on actual Christmas day because Luna Nova couldn’t afford to run the leyline that year! Sucy vomited into her mushrooms and cried and Lotte was too busy trying to stop me from going up to _you_ and blurting out all my feelings.

Let's see, after that there was... Us at sixteen, totally making out under the mistletoe. Best Christmas party  _ever_. I got tired of you pretending you didn’t like me.” She winked at her increasingly pissed off girlfriend, gasping dramatically when she realised: “Actually, the year after was way better, what am I talking about, we totally banged – Ow, sorry!”  
  
Sheepish, Akko rubbed her arm. At nineteen Akko had had a rather belated growth spurt and surpassed Diana’s 5’6 inches, though her height never had much leverage over her girlfriend’s steely gaze which always felt all-encompassing. A steely gaze that softened instantly when Akko started to pout in the store and attract the sympathy of passersby.  
  
“Okay, fine,” Diana had said, if only so Akko could stop talking about their sex life in public. She didn’t want her to mention their _last_ Christmas together. She still blushed thinking about it. Akko had undoubtedly been counting on her flustered state and that was how they’d left with the jumpers, just to get out of there.  
  
Damning last words, Diana thought now, tugging at the sleeve of the dreaded Christmas jumper. She supposed it was nice enough, all things considered. It was adorned with snowflakes and the blue did match her complexion. And it was soft. The gooey, melting part of her was charmed that she and Akko matched, and her girlfriend’s enthusiasm for such a trivial victory was contagious.  
  
Christmas actually was an important part of their relationship considering all their milestones had been reached during the festive holidays. Akko was right about that, even if her recollections were rather off-putting.  
  
Diana still smiled fondly at the memory of Akko swinging their hands together jubilantly as they left the store, babbling about needing bubble tea and begging her not to whine about it "not being real tea". The sight in front of her was just as endearing: Akko couldn’t stop bouncing around, sleeves too long for her lithe frame, eyes bright as she surveyed their Christmassy handiwork.

They were celebrating Christmas Eve in Japan.  
  
Akko was currently there for a two-month long entertainment stint at a maid cafe in Akihabara, testing out her new magical routine for future ventures, and Diana was studying witchcraft and medicine long-distance from her prestigious university to be close to her. The apartment they were renting was cliché-Christmas-film-level of decorated after the day’s events, and snow was softly falling outside.  
  
Due to their hectic schedules, this was the first time they’d been able to spend together with no interruptions since arriving. Much to Akko’s dismay, it was the first opportunity they'd had to put up the tree. But it was better late then never!  
  
They’d be getting up early the following morning to spend the day with Akko’s parents as Diana insisted on helping with Christmas dinner, not least because the Japanese tradition of eating buckets of fried chicken for the festivities was not a welcome thought for her stomach. She wanted pigs in blankets and roasted parsnips and eggnog by the fire instead of stomach ache thank you very much. Akko, who loved fried chicken and Christmas dinner both, saw the merits of letting Diana loose in her parents’ kitchen, mostly because her parents adored her girlfriend and were looking forward to spending time with her, and also because Diana being domestic... did things to her stomach. Good things. Hair tied up, apron on, eyes narrowed at a colander of carrots ready for peeling... Akko all but grinned into her fist.  
  
She was just so, so in love with her. They’d gotten together during Luna Nova’s annual Christmas party after tiptoeing around their blossoming feelings for months. At sixteen, Akko had been nervous, excitable and did she mention _super effing nervous_ but had found the confidence to approach Diana underneath the mistletoe, leaning in carefully to plant a kiss on her lips. After that moment, their lives were forever changed, and they’d been inseparable ever since.  
  
As for Diana, she was looking forward to the day, too, despite her facade. For one, she wouldn’t be reminded of her mother quite as strongly in Japan. Another was that she was genuinely looking forward to being around Akko’s family, and Akko hadn’t stopped talking her ear off about how much she wanted to show her the “Kagari tradition” of mulling sake.  
  
She would never spoil her girlfriend’s enthusiasm for the holiday, as much as it bemused her. In fact, she was counting on it for her plan.  
  
Diana was preoccupied with the evening ahead, chewing on her lip before catching herself and sighing, patting her jeans pocket for the box she knew was there but kept panicking about. Fortunately, her jumper was long and capable of hiding the noticeable bulge, and fortunately Akko wasn’t observant at the best of times, doubly so as she bounded around their tinsel-decked apartment with glee.  
  
Akko truly loved Christmas. To say Japan’s traditions were different, she’d grown up on western movies and Shiny Chariot and grand notions of going to Britain and Luna Nova, so she was enamoured with the entire concept. Sparkling lights, hot chocolates, jumpers, festive cheer, cuddles, endless amounts of food. Diana, however, could take it or leave it despite the fact the Cavendish manor was the source of envy for miles around when it was at its most festive.  
  
It had even made the news one year. Even after her mother died, Anna insisted on keeping tradition and now Diana was grateful for it, even if it was difficult to be around; her mother had loved Christmas, too.  
  
Akko had almost fainted when they’d spent the holidays there last year. She’d swooned into Aunt Daryl, who had held her up with a shocked pinky finger as Diana stifled a laugh at the whole scene. Christmas with Akko was infinitely better than Christmas without her: that night she’d drank too much mulled wine, kissed Diana in front of her whole family, then went over to sit on Daryl’s lap to communicate her thanks for letting her “date her niece, I’ll never hurt her, she’s the best person ever. And she’s so pretty! Gonna marry her one day, Daryl!”  
  
Diana had almost blushed into oblivion, but it had set her plan in motion.  
  
Akko was always giddy and never deterred by her occasional scrooge-like attitude. Diana was powerless to stop her. Nor did she want to, especially not this year. She needed Akko at her happiest.     
  
If pushed, Diana might have said this was becoming her favourite season, and if asked why, she might have admitted to it being due to the bundle of restless energy currently wearing the carpets thin. After her mother passed, she thought she’d never appreciate this holiday again. Akko was a miracle. 

“It looks so good, Diana! Totally worth decorating even if it’s so late! Admit it, you love it!”  
  
Diana regarded her warmly. “I do.”  
  
“See! You’re not a Grinch after all. You’re like... a Christmas angel. Shame we can’t stick you on the tree,” Akko teased, sticking a finger beneath her chin as she mock considered hoisting her up there.  
  
“And you’re a Christmas elf, utterly tireless in the build up to Christmas.”  
  
“Thanks!”  
  
Diana chuckled.  
  
They were currently in the lull of the evening: they’d finished eating dinner, the tree lights were turned on, the candles lit, and Akko had insisted on choir music.  
  
Silent Night was playing.  
  
Diana’s heartbeat spiked.  
  
This was her cue. She’d told herself all night that when the song played, Akko’s favourite Christmas song, she’d summon all her courage and do it, the moment she’d been dreaming about for weeks. Months. (Years.)  
  
Akko was watching her with such love in her eyes, so warm, always, when she regarded Diana; her gaze always said she was her favourite person in the world.  
  
“Akko.” Diana cleared her throat; it was embarrassingly dry. Perhaps she should have accepted a glass of port at dinner after all. She tried again. Akko was on the brink of asking her if she was okay, but bit her tongue when she thought _holy crap it’s happening, it’s actually happening_.  
  
“Akko,” she said, voice clearer. Relieved, Diana continued. “Spending Christmas together like this... It doesn’t matter that we’re renting this apartment or we’ll be leaving in a couple of months to go back to England. It doesn’t matter that we don’t know what comes after this.” She winced because her grand monologue hadn’t sounded like this in her head. It was coming out all wrong. “What I mean to say is, I don’t care where we are in the world as long as we're together. You’re home to me. The fact that you get so excited about Christmas is one of the many things I love about you...” Diana was a bumbling mess. She was floundering, looking at her girlfriend with such desperation and love and innocence that she felt so utterly _young_.  “I love you,” she whispered, her hand touching her pocket for courage. “More than you know. You’re... beyond words. Honestly, I’m finding them hard to find.”  
  
“Diana...” Akko’s eyes were filling with tears but she was smiling, reaching out for Diana’s limp hands.  
  
Diana was quick to move after that, however. She still had a task to complete.  Even if she was making a mess of it, Akko deserved to hear the words she could manage. The gist of it was still there.  
  
“Akko,” she breathed, dropping to one knee. “I love you. My heart is yours forever, if you’ll take it. Will you marry me?”  
  
With that she revealed the little box, pulling back the lid and letting the diamond sparkle in the candlelight and sparkle of the lopsided tree.  
  
Akko gasped, swaying where she stood, looking between the ring and Diana who was trying desperately not to faint.  
  
“Yes!” Akko gasped out. “Oh my god, Diana, yes! Yes! Of course yes! I can’t believe you’re proposing! Here! Now! I’m NOT EMOTIONALLY PREPARED!” she wailed, diving forward into her girlfriend’s surprised arms and upending the box as she pushed them both back to the floor.  
  
Not that either of them cared. Akko was sobbing happy tears into Diana’s neck, and Diana was suffocating but feeling so relieved that she’d spluttered out the words that she appreciated the sudden anchor lest she float away.  
  
“You beautiful, silly, romantic idiot,” Akko babbled, sniffing into her jumper. “I love you. I love Christmas and our lives together and I’ll marry you a million times over-”  
  
Diana wiped her own tears away as she grinned into Akko’s hair.  
  
“I was nervous over nothing, wasn’t I?” she breathed out, mostly to herself as she considered the ball of nerves ever-present in her stomach since she’d packed her mother's ring.  
  
“You were.” Akko pulled back so she was straddling her waist. She grabbed both her forearms as Diana peered up at her. “I cannot believe you!”  
  
“S-Sorry?”  
  
“Like I would say no! My heart’s always been yours! Since we were fourteen and I thought _geez, that girl's pretty_. It’s like you’ve forgotten it was me who got this relationship moving in the first place. The first kiss, the first date, the first ti-”  
  
“Yes, yes, okay, I understand.”  
  
Akko was back to beaming. “But you beat me to this! Diana, I’M ENGAGED! I can’t wait to tell everyone. My mum will cry, Diana. Everywhere. All over you, probably. My dad will, too.” She studied her for a moment. “You might have ruined Christmas actually because I don’t know how we’re ever going to top this.”  
  
“You’re ridiculous,” Diana smiled, locating the upturned box and holding out the ring, gripping Akko’s hip to hold her steady as she sat up so they were sitting face to face.  
  
Akko wiggled her finger excitedly until Dana managed to slide the ring on.  
  
Perfect.  
  
“Perfect,” Akko sighed dreamily. “You’re, like, properly mine”  
  
Confused, Diana regarded her. “I’ve always been yours.”  
  
Akko could have  _wailed_ she was so emotional and desperately in love with this beautiful, intelligent, silly girl in front of her who had been panicking about asking for her hand in marriage. Akko felt a few tears slip free. “You know what I mean. All those people who stare at you, I can shove my ring under their nose and be like _ha, mine_ – Oh! You need a ring too! I was going to get you one, I promise, but I should’ve known this would be the one thing you'd beat me to. Christmas threw me off. Never mind, we can go now. Yes! LET’S GO RIGHT NOW.”  
  
“Akko, it’s Christmas eve-”  
  
Amused, Diana caught her wrist before she could scramble off her and head out in the snow without shoes or a jacket.  
  
“This is Japan, there’s still shops open, and I just got that Christmas bonus, so let’s go-”  
  
“Akko.”  
  
“Okay, fineeeee,” she whined, drawing out the syllable and wrapping both her arms around Diana’s neck. She was holding up her ring behind her head, admiring it. Then she met Diana’s attentive gaze; she’d not been able to stop looking at her in wonder since she’d slipped the ring on her finger. Akko grinned at her. “You are so getting laid tonight _Mrs_ Cavendish.”  
  
Diana exhaled sharply and blushed. Still, after all this time, her heart thumped at the thought. Delighted, Akko engulfed her in a tight hug because _she should not be that adorable_.  
  
“This is the best Christmas ever,” Akko sighed blissfully.  
  
“Really?” Diana couldn’t stop checking that Akko was truly happy, even when being presented with irrefutable evidence.  
  
Akko pffted at her. “I have you, matching Christmas jumpers, a ring that will make Amanda jealous, you, tomorrow’s dinner, you in an apron, you naked after all that hopefully-”  
  
“I can’t believe I’m spending the rest of my life with you.”  
  
“I’m gonna be a Cavendish! Daryl’s gonna freak!”  
  
“She... actually gave me her blessing.”  
  
Akko gapped – then squealed. “No way!!”  
  
“She likes you, in her own way. I think it was after you both had too much to drink last year and started singing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Badly.”  
  
Left unsaid was the morning after, when Daryl had walked in on them both... chasing away Akko’s hangover in a manner not suitable for company.  
  
“I want to take your name,” Akko insisted, knowing how much it would mean to Diana, to uphold her family’s legacy like that.  
  
Diana’s eyes glowed. “Akko, I... Thank you.”  
  
The thought of Akko being a Cavendish made her chest want to explode.  
  
“Don’t thank me! You’re gonna wife me up forever. Besides, I want to be a Cavendish! Imagine the perks. I’m going to get first class flights forever and be able to book all the fancy restaurants.”  
  
“Oh, I see.” Diana stroked the back of her hair, barely able to hide her overwhelming excitement. “You’re in this for the money.”  
  
“Duh,” Akko grinned cheekily. “And...” She glanced openly and suggestively at Diana’s whole self. “All of _that_ doesn’t hurt.”  
  
“Insatiable.”  
  
“I sure am, fiancée!”  
  
“Fiancée...” Diana smiled dreamily, her brain finally catching up with the last several minutes, finally able to enjoy the way her mouth wrapped around the syllables. _Fiancée_.  
  
They were both still sitting there wrapped up in one another, smiling stupidly, and Akko was barely keeping still, clearly torn between admiring her ring and ravishing Diana completely.  
  
Diana rolled her eyes at her obvious struggle and motioned for Akko to join her on the sofa as the floor wasn’t that comfortable. Upon lying down she was promptly held in a vice-like body grip, arms and legs instantly tangled.  
  
“I love you,” Akko whispered reverently.  
  
“I love you, too, _Mrs Cavendish_ ,” she whispered back, the words falling so naturally from the tip of her tongue that she realised how long she’d been waiting to say them, to make Akko truly hers. 

And she’d said yes. She would be hers, forever.  
  
Akko sighed blissfully and kissed her.  


* * *

  
They hardly made it through the front door before Akko’s mother was screaming at the ring on Akko’s finger, causing her husband to drop the turkey he was putting in the oven.  
  
Deafened, Diana was engulfed in a hug as Akko stormed into the kitchen to jump into her dad’s arms, turkey all but forgotten on the floor.  
  
“I’m so happy!” all three Kagari’s wailed.  
  
Diana felt her own eyes grow misty and chuckled at the thought of Christmas being her favourite season again.  
  
She spared a thought for her mother, who she could imagine loving Akko with all her being, and allowed herself to be lead into the chaos that would be her wonderful future with her fiancée.

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't kidding when I said tooth-rotting fluff! Happy Christmas to those celebrating. Thanks for reading & as always your thoughts are much appreciated.


End file.
